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The Transport in the Maldives is highly facilitated by road, bridges, highways, air and water networks. The country has no railways. [1] [2] Transportation in the Maldives primarily revolves around its maritime and air travel systems, given the archipelagic nature of the country, which consists of 26 atolls and over 1,000 coral islands. The absence of extensive road networks between islands necessitates a heavy reliance on boats and seaplanes for inter-island connectivity. Dhoni, traditional Maldivian wooden boats, and modern speedboats are widely used for short distances and local travel, while ferries provide regular services between inhabited islands. [3] For longer journeys, the Maldives domestic airlines operate seaplane and airplane services that link the capital, Malé, with outlying atolls, enhancing both passenger and cargo transport across the islands.
Malé, the capital city, serves as the central hub for the country’s transportation network. Velana International Airport, located on nearby Hulhulé Island, is the primary gateway for international travel, with frequent connections to major global destinations. This airport also handles a significant volume of domestic traffic, alongside other regional airports dispersed across the atolls. For intra-city travel within Malé and its nearby islands, roads and a network of causeways and bridges facilitate movement. Notably, the Sinamalé Bridge connects Malé to Hulhulé Island, improving accessibility to the international airport. Overall, the transportation infrastructure of the Maldives is crucial for its tourism-driven economy and the mobility of its residents.
Road infrastructure in the Maldives is relatively limited due to the country's unique geography of dispersed atolls and islands. Most of the roads are found in the capital city of Malé, Hulhumalé, and a few other larger islands like Addu Atoll. The road network in Malé is characterized by narrow streets and heavy traffic congestion, reflective of the city's high population density. The Sinamalé Bridge, also known as the China–Maldives Friendship Bridge, is a significant development that connects Malé with Hulhulé Island, where the Velana International Airport is located, and the planned city of Hulhumalé. This bridge has greatly improved road connectivity and facilitated easier movement between these key areas. Outside of these urban centers, most islands rely on footpaths, bicycles, and motorcycles for local transport, with very few roads available due to the small size of the islands and the prioritization of maritime and air travel for longer distances.
In the capital city of Malé, the majority of roads are paved with concrete cobblestones, while some are paved with tarmac. In Addu City, many roads are surfaced with tarmac. A notable feature in Aduu Atoll is a highway known as "Addu link road", connects four islands, Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, Maradhoo–Feydhoo, Feydhoo.
Ports and harbors in the Maldives are crucial to the nation's economy, given the country's geographic composition as an archipelago of over 1,000 islands. In Malé city, there are several regional ports and harbors that facilitate inter-island transportation and support local economies, including Kulhudhuffushi Harbor and Hithadhoo Regional Port. These ports handle a mix of conventional and containerized cargo, essential for importing goods and exporting local products. The development and maintenance of these maritime facilities are vital for the Maldives, ensuring the efficient movement of goods and supporting the tourism industry, which is a significant contributor to the national GDP.
Malé Commercial Harbour is the primary hub of maritime activities and commerce in the Maldives. Located in the capital city of Malé, the port offers a range of essential services including marine pilotage, wharfage, and mooring. It is equipped to handle both conventional and containerized cargo, providing facilities for cargo handling, as well as stuffing and un-stuffing services. As the main port of the Maldives, Malé Commercial Harbour plays a critical role in the nation's economy by facilitating the import and export of goods, thereby supporting the archipelago's trade and logistics infrastructure.
The archipelago has 18 airports. Two had paved runways. One stretched over 10,000 ft (3,000 m). Another was in the range 8,000 to 9,999 ft (2,438 to 3,048 m). Three airports had unpaved runways of 3,000 to 4,999 ft (914 to 1,524 m). Five of the 18 airports schedule international flights.
Malé is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives. With a population of 211,908 in 2022 within its administrative area and coterminous geographical area of 8.30 square kilometres (3.20 sq mi), Malé is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city is geographically located in the southern edge of North Malé Atoll.
Hulhulé (ހުޅުލެ), located at 4°11′N73°32′E, is an island in the North Malé Atoll of the Maldives where the city's airport, Velana International Airport, is located. The island has no permanent population.
Addu City is a city in Maldives that consists of the inhabited islands of Addu Atoll, the southernmost atoll of the archipelago. Addu City is the second-largest urban area in Maldives, in terms of population, and is one of the two urban areas to get the status of "city" other than the capital city, Malé, and Fuvahmulah. Addu City has 6 districts. They are Hithadhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo, Maradhoo, Feydhoo, Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo. These divisions are naturally islands, but are well connected. In addition, Addu Atoll has other uninhabited islands.
Gan is the southernmost island of Addu Atoll, as well as the southernmost island of the Maldives. It is relatively large by Maldive standards.
Trans Maldivian Airways (Pvt) Ltd. (TMA) is a private airline headquartered on the grounds of Velana International Airport in Malé, Maldives.
Hithadhoo is a district of Addu City, in the Maldives. Hithadhoo is the main administrative district of Addu City, with many of the administrative buildings in this district. The town is situated on the island of the same name, the westernmost of Addu Atoll. In terms of population, Hithadhoo is home to the largest population in Addu City. According to the 2014 Census, with 11,129 residents, Hithadhoo also has the largest population of any administrative island in Maldives, a category that excludes the much larger national capital, Malé.
Addu Atoll, also known as Seenu Atoll, is the southernmost atoll of the Maldives. Addu Atoll, together with Fuvahmulah, located 40 km north of Addu Atoll, extend the Maldives into the Southern Hemisphere. Addu Atoll is located 540 km south of Malé, the country's capital. Administratively, Addu Atoll is the location of Addu City, one of the four cities of the Maldives. Addu City consists of the inhabited areas of Addu Atoll, namely the natural islands of Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo, Maradhoo, Feydhoo, and Hithadhoo.. In addition to the areas that are included as a part of Addu City, Addu Atoll has a number of other inhabited and uninhabited islands, including the island of Gan, where Gan International Airport is located.
Maradhoo is one of the inhabited islands of the Addu Atoll.
Maradhoo-Feydhoo is a district of Addu City, in the Maldives. The district borders the district of Maradhoo to the north, as they both share the same natural island, and the district of Feydhoo to the south. After Addu City became a city, Maradhoo-Feydhoo was extended to include the previous administrative island and a part of Feydhoo. The district has a village known as Feydhooburi. People still often refer to this village by the district's name.
Guraidhoo is one of the inhabited islands of Thaa Atoll, Maldives.
Velana International Airport (VIA), also known as Malé-Velana International Airport is the main international airport in the Maldives. It is located on Hulhulé Island in the North Malé Atoll, nearby the capital island Malé. The airport is well connected with major airports around the world, mostly serving as the main gateway into the Maldives for tourists. It is managed financially and administratively by a state owned company known as Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).
Hulhumalé is a reclaimed island located in the south of North Malé Atoll, Maldives. The artificial island is being built up by pumping sand from the sea floor, in order to meet the existing and future housing, industrial and commercial development demands of the Malé region and as a response to the threat posed by rising sea levels. The official settlement was inaugurated by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on May 12, 2004.
The United Suvadive Republic was a short-lived breakaway state from the Sultanate of Maldives between 1958 and 1963, consisting of the three southern atolls of the Maldive archipelago: Addu Atoll, Huvadhu Atoll and Fuvahmulah. The first president of the new nation was Abdulla Afeef Didi. The secession occurred in the context of the struggle of the Maldives’ emergence as a modern nation. The United Suvadive Republic inherited a Westminster system of governance cloned from Britain along with other institutional structures.
Hulhumeedhoo or Hulhudhoo-Meedhoo is an island located on the northeastern point of Addu City. It is the fifth largest island in the Maldives. Although Hulhumeedhoo is geographically one island, it is divided into two administrative constituencies of Addu City, known as Meedhoo and Hulhudhoo, which are roughly the northern half and southern half of Hulhumeedhoo respectively. The name "Hulhumeedhoo" is an amalgamation of the names Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo.
Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is a Maldivian politician who served as president of the Maldives from 2013 to 2018.
Abdulla Sodiq was the first mayor of Addu City, Maldives. He was elected mayor in February 2011 for a three-year term as mandated by the newly instated Decentralization Act. He was reelected on February 1, 2014. His tenure ended in 2021 and succeeded by the current mayor Ali Nizar.
Addu City Bridge, commonly known as Addu bridge or Addu City Bridge Project, Addu Connectivity Bridge Project is a bridge connecting capital of Addu, Hithadhoo and Meedhoo in Addu city. The estimated length of the bridge is 13 to 15 kilometres cross the Addu atoll.
The Maldives has no railways and no highways.
There are no rail services in Maldives.